What percentage of treated couples maintain clinically significant gains?

• A. 5-10%
• B. 25-30%
• C. 11-18%
• D. 40-50%

Answer: (C)

Maintenance of gains in couples therapy is often harder to sustain over time than the immediate treatment effects. Clinically significant gains mean improvements in relationship functioning that are meaningful in real life, not just statistically detectable. Research on treated couples using Gottman-based approaches shows that only a minority keep those meaningful gains long-term, even after the active therapy ends. That pattern typically falls in the 11-18% range, reflecting the reality that most couples need ongoing practice, follow-up support, or booster sessions to maintain improvements. In contrast, much higher percentages would imply durable change that isn’t consistently supported by long-term data, and very low percentages would understate the observed maintenance.